♪ ♪ ♪<i>
( APPLAUSE )</i> >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
WELCOE BACK. MY GUEST TONIGHT IS AN EMMY AND
PEABODY AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST WHO IS A CORRESPONDENT FOR CBS'S
"60 MINUTES" AND THE HOST OF "ANDERSON COOPER 360." PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "THE LATE
SHOW," ANDERSON COOPER! ♪ ♪ ♪<i>
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )</i> ♪ ♪ ♪<i>
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )</i> >> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU. LOOK AT THE PEOPLE. >> CRAZY, FANTASTIC. >> Stephen: SO, THIS IS OUR
THIRD SHOW BACK WITH A FULL AUDIENCE HERE. >> YEAH. >> Stephen: AND IT'S-- IT'S
SORT OF STRIKING HOW QUICKLY THINGS ARE STARTING TO FEEL
NORMAL. >> YES. >> Stephen: TO ME. >> YEAH. >> Stephen: WAS THERE A
MOMENT, OR HAVE YOU GOTTEN THERE YET, WHERE-- HOW ABOUT NEW YORK? YOU GREW UP IN NEW YORK. IS THERE A MOMENT WHEN YOU FELT
LIKE, "OH, GOD, THIS IS WHAT NEW YORK FEELS LIKE?"
IT'S BEEN GHOSTLY FOR PART OF THE YEAR. >> IT HAS BEEN GHOSTLY AND I
HAVE BEEN RIDING MY BIKE THROUGHOUT THE CITY BECAUSE I
HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE OFFICE. >> Stephen: AND YOU COULD RIDE
DOWN BROADWAY FOR PART OF IT. >> I FEEL LIKE NEW YORK IS BACK,
BUT WAY BACK. WHEN I GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY,
AND I LIVED RIGHT BY WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK. WHEN I WAS A KID, WASHINGTON
SQUARE PARK WAS WHERE YOU WENT TO GET MUGGED. AND, LIKE --
>> Stephen: I'M SORRY, I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. >> I GREW UP IN NEW YORK IN THE
70s AND EARLY 80s, AND ALL WE TALKED ABOUT AS KIDS WAS WHEN
WE WERE GOING-- LIKE, WHEN WE WERE GOING TO GET MUGGED,
GETTING MUGGED, WHO STOLE MY BUS PASS. >> Stephen: WHAT'S THE
ETIQUETTE FOR BEING MUGGED. >> EXACTLY. AND I WALKED THROUGH WASHINGTON
SQUARE PARK THE OTHER DAY AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THE
NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PARK HAD BEEN TAKEN OVER BY FOLKS WHO
WERE VERY, YOU KNOW, DEDICATED TO USING SUBSTANCES. >> Stephen: THERE'S LIKE A
NIGHTLY RAVE SCENE NOW. WHATEVER THAT MEANS THESE DAY. >> I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYONE WOULD
WANT TO GO TO A RAVE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK. IT SOUNDS JUST, LIKE, AWFUL TO
ME. AND I I GUESS THE LAST ONE ON
SATURDAY NIGHT PEOPLE WERE STABBED. SO THAT DOESN'T SOUND GOOD. THE PARK HAS BEEN, IT'S, LIKE,
BACK INDEPENDENT 70s. I FEEL LIKE I'M BACK TO THE
FUTURE. <i> ( LAUGHTER ).</i> >> Stephen: SO THERE'S GOING
TO BE-- THERE'S GOING TO BE A PUNK SCENE. I'LL SEE YOU AT STEREO 54. >> EXACTLY, YES. >> Stephen: DID YOU GO TO
STUDIO-- >> I WENT TO STUDIO 54 TWICE. BOTH TIMES MY MOM BROUGHT ME,
WHICH TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW I WAS RAISED. I WAS 11 YEARS OLD WHICH, AGAIN,
DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA. >> Stephen: "HONEY, MOMMY IS
GOING TO GO DANCE. YOU STAY HERE WITH MICK AND
BIANCA." >> ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT A JOKE. FIRST TIME I WENT IT WAS FOR THE
PREMIERE OF "THE WIZ," BECAUSE MY MOM WAS DATING SIDNEY LAMET
AND I WENT WITH MICHAEL JACKSON AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHO MICHAEL
JACKSON WAS BECAUSE I DIDN'T LISTEN TO MUSIC AS A KID. I WAS PLAYING "DUDGEONS AND
DRAGONS." AND MY ONLY MEMORY WAS SEEING
MICHAEL JACKSON DANCE WITH SOMEBODY. AND I TURNED TO THE PERSON NEXT
TO ME AND SAID, "HE'S REALLY GOOD AT THAT. HE SHOULD PURSUE THAT." >> Stephen: THE MOST
BELIEVABLE PART OF THAT STORY IS THAT AN 11-YEAR-OLD ANDERSON
COOPER WOULD USE THE PHRASE "HE SHOULD PURSUE THAT." >> YEAH, THAT'S TOTALLY TRUE. I WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT --
>> Stephen: HE SHOULD BROADEN HIS HORIZONS, MOTHER. >> AND THE SECOND TIME WE WENT,
GRACE JONES PERFORMED. >> Stephen: HOLY COW! >> YEAH. AND MY MEMORY-- I DON'T KNOW IF
THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED. BUT AT SOME POINT, WITH THE
MICROPHONE CABLE, SHE SEEMED TO HAVE MADE SOME SORT OF A, LIKE,
A NOOSE, PUT IT AROUND THE NECK OF SOME GUY IN THE AUDIENCE. AND I REMEMBER HER LIFTING HIM
UP. I DON'T WILL THINK THAT ACTUALLY
HAPPENED, BUT THAT'S HOW IT LOOKED TO ME AT 11. <i> ( LAUGHTER ).</i> >> Stephen: OKAY, SO, NOW... <i> ( LAUGHTER )</i>
THIS ALL SOUNDS REALLY FUN TO ME, ACTUALLY. NOW YOU'RE A DAD YOURSELF. >> IT'S A VERY RELATABLE
CHILDHOOD, I THINK. >> Stephen: SPEAKING OF
CHILDHOOD AND RELATING TO IT, YOU■ ARE NOW A DAD OF YOUR OWN. >> YES. >> Stephen: OF YOUNG WYATT,
RIGHT HERE. >> YES, YEAH. <i> ( APPLAUSE )</i>
>> Stephen: TURNED ONE. >> YEAH, HE TURNED ONE APRIL 27. HE TURNED ONE YEARS OLD. >> Stephen: IS HE TALKING? >> HE TALKS IN A DIALECT OF
HINDI OR URDU, I'M NOT SURE. IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING
DIALECT. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
IS. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT
THIS POINT BUT HE'S VERY COMMITTED TO IT. >> Stephen: LOOK AT THOSE
EYES. THE EYES DO NOT FALL FAR FROM
THE DAD THERE. >> I KNOW, I KNOW. SO JUST FOR THE FIRST TIME, I
WAS IN ISRAEL LAST WEEK, MY FIRST WORK TRIP FOR "60
MINUTES," AND I WAS DOING AN INTERVIEW, AND I GET THIS TEXT
FROM WYATT'S OTHER DAD, BENJAMIN, AND HE SAID, "HE JUST
WALKED." EXCLAMATION MARK, EXCLAMATION
MARK. >> Audience: OOOH. >> YOU WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE
MY REACTION. MY REACTION WAS FURY,s I WAS
LIKE, "A," I CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED THIS, THAT I'M COULD GO
THIS INTERVIEW IN ISRAEL OF ALL PLACES. AND, SECONDLY, THEN I GOT REALLY
PISSED AT BENJAMIN FOR-- I WAS LIKE, IN MY HOUSEHOLD, WHEN I
GREW UP, YOU WOULD LIE ABOUT EVERYTHING. <i> ( LAUGHTER )</i>
SO HE SHOULD HAVE JUST LIED, AND SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID HE JUST
WALKED. HE SHOULD HAVE LIED AND SAID
HE'S NOT WALKING AT ALL. SO WHEN I GOT HOME AND HE WALKED
WE WOULD HAVE BEEN, "OH, MY GOD, IT'S THE FIRST WORK." >> Stephen: WOW, WOW. <i> ( APPLAUSE ).</i> >> YEAH. >> Stephen: BUT THE THING IS--
>> AND HE WALKS -- >> Stephen: MISSING YOUR
CHILD'S FIRST WALK-- >> RIGHT. >> Stephen: PROVES YOU ARE A
FATHER. >> I KNOW, EXACTLY, YES. AND HE WALKS LIKE A DRUNKEN
SAILOR. AND --
>> Stephen: NOT WELL THEN. >> HE WALKS LIKE SOMEONE AT THE
RAVE IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK. <i> ( LAUGHTER )</i>
WHICH MAKES ME A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING IN
ISRAEL. >> Stephen: DON'T GIVE HIM A
KNIFE. SUNDAY IS FATHER'S DAY. THIS IS YOUR SECOND. >> YEAH. >> Stephen: HOW HAS FATHER--
WHAT? >> NO, GOOD AHEAD. >> Stephen: DID I GET
SOMETHING WRONG? ARE YOU FACT CHECKING ME? >> NO, IT WAS FUNNY, BECAUSE
YOUR PRODUCER SAID-- I TALKED TO HER ON THE PHONE BEFORE I CAME
HERE. AND SHE SAID, "STEPHEN MAY ASK
YOU ABOUT THIS WEEKEND." I SAID, "GREAT. WHAT'S THIS WEEKEND?"
AND SHE WAS LIKE, "IT'S FATHER'S DAY." AND I WAS LIKE OH... BECAUSE MY
DAD DIED WHEN I WAS 10. >> Stephen: AS DID MINE. >> AND FOR ME, FATHER'S DAY WAS
SOMETHING I AVOIDED-- I JUST-- JUST DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT. AND WHEN ALL KIDS IN SCHOOL--
AND I THINK FOR ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO LOST A PARENT EARLY--
YOU KNOW, HOLIDAYS AND ESPECIALLY FAWGD'S DAY, WHEN YOU
DON'T HAVE A DAD, IT'S JUST-- I'S NOT EVEN BITTERSWEET. IT'S JUST LIKE --
>> Stephen: KIND OF INEXPLICABLE. >> YEAH, IT'S INEXPLICABLE. AND THE PAIN WAS SO GREAT FOR MY
ENTIRE-- MOST OF MY LIFE, I DIDN'T KNOW FATHER'S DAY WAS
THIS DATE, AND THE INTERESTING THING FOR ME ABOUT HAVING A SON,
A CHILD, IT HAS MADE ME SORT OF CONNECT WITH MY DAD AND MY MOM'S
PAST AND MY BROTHER'S PAST IN A WAY THAT I NEVER REALLY
ANTICIPATED. LIKE, I FEEL LIKE I AM IN
COMMUNION WITH THEM IN SOME STRANGE WAY, AND I REMEMBER
THINGS ABOUT MY DAD THAT I NEVER REMEMBERED BEFORE BECAUSE I'M
EXPERIENCING THEM WITH WYATT AS A DAD. IT'S REALLY INTERESTING. >> Stephen: THAT'S VERY
BEAUTIFUL. >> YEAH. >> Stephen: THAT'S VERY
BEAUTIFUL. I'M VERY HAPPY FOR YOU. >> YEAH, NO, IT'S INCREDIBLE. >> Stephen: IT'S AN UNEXPECTED
GIFT OF BEING A FATHER <i> ( APPLAUSE ).</i> >> IT REALLY IS. AND SO MY MOM PAINTED A LOT, AND
SHE DID A PORTRAIT OF HER AND MY FATHER, WHICH I REALLY LIKE. AND I PUT IT OUTSIDE WYATT'S
ROOM. AND EVERY MORNING WHEN I WALK
BY, HE STOPS,S AND HE INSISTS ON GOING OVER AND TOUCHING THE
PORTRAIT OF MY MOM AND MY DAD. WHICH I FIND REALLY... WONDERFUL
( VOICE BREAKING ). >> Stephen: THAT IS VERY
BEAUTIFUL. <i> ( APPLAUSE )</i>
I'VE ALWAYS SAID-- I'VE ALWAYS SAID-- I'VE ALWAYS SAID TO
PEOPLE WHO ARE ABOUT TO HAVE KIDS, IT CAN BE HARD, BUT IT'S
ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL. >> YEAH. >> Stephen: EVEN WHEN YOU
THINK HOW CAN I GO ON. I HAVEN'T SLEPT FOR DAYS. BUT IT TAPS YOU ON THE SHOULDER
AND PUNCH YOUS IN THE FACE WHEN YOU DON'T EXPECT IT. IT PUNCHES YOU WITH THE
BEAUTIFUL. IT'S NOT THAT IT'S NOT PAINFUL
BUT IT'S HUMAN AND CONNECTS YOU ON A PRIMAL LEVEL FLOTONLY TO
YOUR FATHER BUT ALL THE FATHERS ALL THE WAY BACK. >> EVERY CLICHE COMES TRUE. IT CHANGES THE WAY YOU THINK
ABOUT THE WORLD. AND I DID NOT KNOW MY HEART
COULD GROW NEW CHAMBERS AND NEW VENTRICLES-- I'M NOT SURE WHAT A
VENTRICLE IS. >> Stephen: IT IS IN THERE. IT DE-GRINCHIFIES YOU. >> IT WHAT. >> Stephen: IT DEGRINCHIFIES
YOU. ARE YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH "HOW
THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS. DO YOU HAVE PLANS FOR THE
WEEKEND? >> I'M GOING TO GO HANG OUT WITH
BENJAMIN'S OTHER DAY-- I MEAN, WYATT'S OTHER DAD, BENJAMIN. >> Stephen: BENJAMIN'S DAD CAN
COME, TOO,s THAT WOULD BE COOL. >> AND WE'RE GOING TO HANG OUT
IN CONNECTICUT AND JUST-- JUST BE DADS. >> Stephen: I HAVE A BONE TO
PICK WITH YOU, THOUGH. >> UH-OH. >> Stephen: YOU SEEM TO BE
TAKING THIS DAD THING VERY SERIOUSLY. AND THAT'S GREAT. IT'S WONDERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL AND
EVERYTHING YOU HAVE SAID IS GREAT. >> WOW, THAT REALLY CAME FROM
THE HEART. >> Stephen: IT REALLY DID, "IT
REALLY DID. YOU WILL SEE WHY IN JUST A
SECOND. WHERE IS THE DAD BOD, THOUGH. ANDERSON, YOU'RE NOT REALLY
COMMITTED UNTIL I SEE A GUT. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? THIS IS WHAT A DAD LOOKS LIKE. ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ). THIS IS A DAD, OKAY. RIGHT THERE, BABY. YEAH. THERE IT IS. ANYTHING? ANYTHING? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, STEPHEN I'M A
GAY MAN. WE CAN'T LET OURSELVES GO. >> Stephen: HIRE STANDARDS! HIGHER STANDARDS! >> SET AN EXAMPLE. >> Stephen: WELL WE HAVE TO
TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK. PLEASE STICK AROUND. WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE
ANDERSON COOPER. ♪ ♪ ♪
